Self-inflicted wound dooms Stockton

The Stockton Thunder made a few mistakes and lost another game in Colorado.

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By The Record

recordnet.com

By The Record

Posted Jan. 12, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By The Record

Posted Jan. 12, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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The Stockton Thunder made a few mistakes and lost another game in Colorado.

The Colorado Eagles' ECHL-leading power-play unit received too many opportunities and the Thunder accidently knocked the puck into its own net as the Eagles won 4-1 Friday in front of a sellout crowd of 5,289 at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo. Earlier in the day the franchise announced the signing of free-agent forward Matt Ambroz.

Stockton lost to the Eagles on Wednesday and has been outscored 12-4 in the two games.

"We had an own-goal and made a mistake on another when we got caught on a long shift," Thunder coach Matt Thomas said. "They have the best power play in the league, and we gave them good chances. We have to be more disciplined than that if we are going to win here."

Colorado (19-16-3) came into the game with an ECHL-best 25.4 power-play percentage and went 2 for 6 against Stockton (19-13-7).

The Thunder trailed 3-1 with 9 minutes remaining in the third period when goaltender Cody Reichard made a save but couldn't get the puck cleared from the crease. A Stockton defender was trying to help when the puck was pushed past Reichard for a goal. Steve Haddon of Colorado was credited with the score.

"Cody made a good save. I didn't see who exactly hit it, but he was just trying to get it out of there," Thomas said.

Yannick Riendeau scored for his ninth goal of the season for Stockton.

Ambroz, 25, played 49 games for the Alaska Aces of the ECHL the past two seasons, and also played three games for the Fort Worth Brahmas of the Central Hockey League this year. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound native of New Prague, Minn., played in college at Nebraska-Omaha, notching 89 points and 248 penalty minutes in 154 games. As a senior in 2010-11, he led the Mavericks with 17 goals.

"He's a big player with a history of scoring in college and experience in this league," Thomas said. "I don't think he's had the best opportunity to show what he can do in this league, so this is his chance."